Project Description

What is Marijuana Tea?

Marijuana tea is a medicated beverage made by steeping marijuana plant matter in a liquid. Like consuming medicated edibles, marijuana tea moves through the digestive system, and its effects can be felt more rapidly if taken on an empty stomach.

Ingestion Methods & Advice

Making effective medicated tea requires some consideration, as THC is not water-soluble, meaning the molecule does not bind easily to a water molecule, as it does to a fat molecule. For this reason, simply steeping marijuana plant matter in hot water will result in a low dose of cannabis.

To make a more effective marijuana tea, either alcohol or some form of fat must be added to the recipe. In the first method, the medicinal properties of the plant are extracted from the plant matter by allowing it to soak in a small amount of alcohol, the resulting mixture is added to hot water after being strained. Distilled spirits work well for this purpose.

The use of alcohol may not be a strong choice for some patients, including those who struggle with alcohol addiction and patients with liver disease. To avoid using alcohol, or if it is desirable to consume more liquid, butter or oil can be used, but whole milk is highly effective and makes a base to the beverage that also delivers protein and nutrients to the body. Spices may be added to enhance flavour. Adding cinnamon or cayenne pepper to the medicated milk tea can enhance its warming sensation. The warm milk, itself, may bring added relief to insomnia suffers, as well. For a vegan option, soy or nut milk can be utilized. Fat-free or low-fat options should be avoided since they will not be able to carry as much THC from the plant.

The early effects of the tea can take 30 minutes to one hour to set in, and even longer if the patient’s body metabolizes slowly. Many patients report that the onset of effects can be relatively subtle at first, compared with some other methods of taking medical cannabis. This delayed and quiet onset is ideal for those struggling with chronic insomnia, as a cup of tea is easy to integrate into one’s evening routine.

Advantages

Marijuana tea is a good method of delivery for patients who require daily medication, as several doses can be made at once. Additionally, drinking tea does not irritate the throat and respiratory system in the way smoking, or even vaporizing, marijuana can.

Marijuana tea is also helpful for those suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, chronic pain, muscle tension, sore joints, and nausea. Sipping marijuana tea can be effective in alleviating mild motion sickness, as well. Marijuana’s ability to stimulate appetite is especially helpful to prevent the weight loss associated with chemotherapy patients and those suffering from AIDS.

Patients with anxiety disorders have found marijuana tea to be efficacious in alleviating their symptoms. The anxiety experienced by some terminally ill patients is often replaced with an uplifted outlook and the ability to better enjoy time with loved ones when medical marijuana is used, and tea is one of the easiest ways for weak or anxious patients to medicate. The increased sense of well-being, despite confronting the end of one’s life, can be quite valuable to many patients.

Disadvantages

The only major disadvantage to using Tea as a method of ingesting medical cannabis is its relatively mild effects compared to other ingestion methods. Despite this, users should still begin conservatively with medicated tea. The nature of tea allows the patient to sip slowly and wait for the medicine’s effects to begin, thus making it easier to find the right level of medication for one’s personal needs.